5 New Business Casual Styles in 2018
These days, fewerِ andِ fewer guys areِ wearing a suit toِ theِ office day inِ andِ day out.
And ifِ you’re oneِ ofِ these men forِ whom a suit isِ no longer a nine-to-five necessity, figuring outِ what, exactly, constitutes a business casual ensemble has probablyِ gottenِ a lot moreِ difficult.
After all, business casual isِ a stillِ a dress code that’s specifiedِ forِ everythingِ from casual Friday atِ the office to theِ parties thatِ your friends andِ colleagues throw onِ the weekends.
1. Divide and conquer
If youِ stillِ love yourِ suits, butِ know thatِ you’ll beِ the onlyِ guy atِ the office orِ the party wearing one, thenِ considerِ easing intoِ this business-casual venture slowly byِ switching outِ justِ halfِ of yourِ suit.
Put onِ the trousers, shirt, andِ tie asِ usual, butِ leave theِ jacket in theِ closet andِ opt, instead, forِ a minimal cotton jacket, likeِ a military green field jacket orِ anِ indigo chore coat.
Or ifِ you reallyِ want toِ makeِ a statement, pair black trousers withِ a black leather jacket.
2. Keep it trim
When youِ wantِ toِ leave theِ blazer behind, yourِ bestِ bet isِ to commit toِ trim andِ well-tailored silhouettes.
A pair ofِ subtly patterned trousers, a button-front shirt, andِ a V-neck cardigan canِ allِ age youِ ifِ you’re swimming inِ extra fabric orِ wearing dull colors.
So choose pieces thatِ fit close toِ theِ body, andِ colors thatِ areِ a littleِ more bold thanِ neutral, toِ punch upِ theِ impact ofِ the outfit andِ avoid lookingِ likeِ a grandfather.
3. Go monochromatic
We’re notِ alone inِ our obsession withِ monochromatic looks: A tailored ensemble inِ a single shade isِ a big trend onِ the street style front, asِ well.
Try yourِ hand byِ dressing head toِ toe inِ a single color: perhapsِ a tweedy grey sportcoat, a pair ofِ grey chinos, andِ a grey crewneck sweater layered overِ a crisp white shirt.
Or ifِ blue is moreِ your speed, andِ denim isِ permitted inِ your office, youِ canِ try a textured navy blazer withِ a navy sweater andِ a dark pair ofِ rigid jeans.
4. Ditch the buttons for a day
It’s easy toِ thinkِ thatِ you haveِ to wear a button-front shirt toِ getِ awayِ with a business casual ensemble.
Consider a turtleneck underِ anِ unstructured blazer, a trim polo shirt withِ a textured blazer, orِ evenِ a slim-fitting, luxuriously-constructed crewneck tee withِ a darker blazer.
Keep everythingِ slim-fitting toِ keepِ the lookِ clean.
5. Nail the details
No matter howِ you choose toِ turn theِ traditional nine-to-five uniform onِ itsِ head, it’s important toِ ensure thatِ you getِ the details right.
Make sureِ that allِ of theِ clothes youِ choose toِ wear areِ tailored toِ perfection (and thatِ nothing’s beenِ crumpled inِ the backِ of yourِ closet gathering wrinkles).
Make sureِ that theِ colors andِ textures youِ choose areِ actuallyِ a good match — whichِ probablyِ means gettingِ dressed inِ the dark isِ a no-go — andِ ensure thatِ accessories likeِ a tie, a pocket square, a pair ofِ socks, orِ evenِ your briefcase allِ work harmoniously withِ theِ ensemble you’ve chosen.
